Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-07-08
How n Big City l. Fed.


tive butchers of New York, il is estima-
ted that one-third of the staple fresh
food consumed il this great city consists
of beef. IL il the meat Of the people as
whale, seal and such meat is the food Of
the Esquimaux. Nearly 10000 head OF
cattle are slaughtered weekly TO the end
Of furnishing New York alone with this
single variety of meat. The stock is
sent here on the hoof, or rather In ears
and butchered soon after its arrival.
Taking 500 pounds as fair average OF
the weight ot bullock, il is found that
the consumption OF beef alone la this
city is something like 100000 pounds
per week. or four pounds for each inhab-
liant. Most of the beef that finds a
market in this city comes from the
great stock yards in Chicago and the
ranches in Montana, and gives faint
dea of the vaStneSs of the Western
country, where the stock is raised. The
meat is brought here ia refrigerator
cars. ready dressed and cut for the differ
ent markets that here abound. The
choicest stock goes To the large hotels,
restaurants and "gilt-edgC" butchers,
while the less desirable carCaSses are
sent 10 those places where the price is Of
more Importance than its quality. The
return from the sale of beef alone in
New York is placed at 81 800, 900 per
week Lamb, mutton, veal. pork, game
and fowl bring In the same space twice
that amount.
About one thousand loads of garden
stuff are consumed In New York every
day. The gardeners begin to arrive In
the city about o'clock In the afternoon
and continue to come until > aud q the
next morning. A fair average for a
load of vegetables of this kihd is said to
bo about S3j. This would make the
consumption of garden stuff" in New
York amount to $35, 900 day. Early
vegetables are brought here from Ber-
muda and the South, and command good
prices.
There is no doubt that 300, 900 pounds
of butter is consumed in New York ev-
cry day, and perhaps more. This, OF
course, includes the oleomargarine sold
Instead of the real article, MS well as the
finer qualities, for which $3.50 n pound
is not ar uncommon price. Accepting
300, 900 as the daily consumption, aud
placing its cost at twenty cents, the
total cost per day for this article alone
amounts TO 100000. Most of the butter
used in New York is made within 300
miles of the city, and If an exception Is
made for milk it is about the only food
product that does not come from the
South, the West, or across the seas.
MIX is another important product
and is used ia New York in immense
quantities. Every railroad centering in
this city has one or more milk trains
that arrive between twelve o'clock mid
night and o'clock in the morning.
Taking forty quarts as the average
quantity contained in each can, IL is
found that New York consumes daily
554 $40 quarts of Eiilk, G,92O quarts of
condensed milk and 10, 400 quarts Of
cream. Taking six cents as fair aver
age price for milk and twenty-five cents
a fair average price for condensed milk
and cream, the consumption Of this one
article Of food in a single day Is mere
than SAC, 900, to say nothing Of the con-
densed milk that comes from Switzer-
land and other places, which Is also
largely used.
Not the least important Of the food
product are eggs. Most of them come
from Holland and Germany, the West
and from Canada, although considera-
bic quantity are received daily from
points near by. The average weekly
of this class Of food is esti-
mated at about 10000 dozen, or an
amount equal to $4,000. One Of the
curious features known Of the provision
business is that Dutch and German eggs
get to New York oftentimes sooner than
those shipped from ex-President Iayes's
henneries in Ohio. a year or so ago
vessel from Holland caught fire of Bed
loe's Island, and in the fire over 100, 900
dozen of eggs were roasted. This gives
some idea of the enormous business done
in this one article Of food.
Food with fins is in great demand,
and the fish trade is one Of the most i'm
portant to the end Of supplying New
York with food. There are less than
thirty kinds Of fish that find n ready
sale. The fish market centre is at the
foot Of Fulton street, and includes Ore
gOn salmon, Maine smelts and Florida
pOmpano. All these varieties, however,
are high-priced and are sold only TO
epicures and persons Of means. Mack
erel, hsddock, cod, halibut, bluefsh and
bass are the staples in the fish line, and
no matter what the condition Of flIe
weather can always be found fresh on
the fish market stalls. This Is made
possible by putting all the fish that are
brought to New York alive in floating
fishways, where they keep alive until
wanted for market. Another means Of
insuring fresh supply Is the refriger-
ating process. plan like unto that en-
ployed to bring dressed meats from the
big abaitoirs Of tho West. Most Of New
York's fresh fish supply comes from
Boston, Gloucester and other points in
New England. Ii is estimated that
SOC, 900 pounds per week is not too high
figure at which TO place the fish con-